Sports ramblings…with a Yankees bias!

Next Round, please…

First Objective…Complete!…

Credit: Kathy Willens/AP

The Yankees claimed the 2009 American League Eastern Division Championship with a 4-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday.The win also assured the Yanks of the best record in the AL, which will allow them to choose their play-off format to maximize the use of a 3-man rotation.

Credit: Kathy Willens/AP

The win was the Yankees 100th of the season.This was so improbable at the start of the season when Alex Rodriguez was sidelined for six weeks due to hip surgery, the Boston Red Sox were invincible against the Yanks in winning their first 8 meetings, and the bullpen was in a complete state of flux.

Credit: Bill Kostroun/AP

Fast forward to September 27th and the Yankees were spilling champagne all over the Yankee Stadium clubhouse floor.What a great way to christen the new Stadium!

Credit: Kathy Willens/AP

Sorry, Big Papi, no champagne for you in New York!

Joe Girardi gets my vote for AL Manager of the Year.The only other possible consideration, in my mind, is Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire if the Twins can overtake the Detroit Tigers in the final days of the season.

Credit: Kathy Willens/AP

The Red Sox may be focused on playing in October but for a day, the Yankees could relax and enjoy knowing they are the division champs and can now look forward to the next level…the ALDS against the Tigers or Twins.

Credit: AP

I would have excused the Yankees for a loss to the Kansas City Royals on Monday night, but the Hangover Guys continued their winning ways with an 8-2 victory and 101st win.

Credit: Kathy Willens/AP

It was a fantastic sports weekend for me.Born and raised in an Iowa farming community, I have been a lifelong fan of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes.Growing up, 3-8 seasons under coach Bob Commings were the norm.But then Texan Hayden Fry came to Iowa City and the uniforms were updated to their current Steelers-like design.Even Herky the Hawk received a facelift.Hayden instilled a winning pride at the school.This year, the Hawkeyes started the season by barely overcoming the University of Northern Iowa, but followed it with two victories, including a win against bitter in-state rival Iowa State Cyclones.Unranked, they went to State College, PA on Saturday night, and emerged with a 21-10 win over the 5th ranked Penn State Nittany Lions.Very exciting!

Credit: Matthew Holst/Press-Citizen

But clearly Sunday was the day.Besides the Yankees’ division championship, the highlight reel featured Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.With 2 seconds left, Brett Favre fired a 32-yard TD pass into the end zone which was hauled in by Greg Lewis.The Vikings prevailed 27-24.After watching Favre turn excitement into bitterness for so many years, it was nice to experience a reversal of fortune.

Credit: Pioneer Press

This just might be a good sports year for me…J

Correction:As Greg of Red Sox Ramblings astutely pointed out, I misidentified Jason Varitek in my last blog.Varitek wears #33, not #37.I had crossed his age with his uniform number.My apologies to the RSN.But guess what, Tek’s still old!😉

Ha Tek is still old – but when a man named Victor is knocking on the door – he makes Posada look like he has 100 wrinkles. Victor is going to make this Red Sox team a winner, and is going to impact them hugely. Great post, and we all miswrite stuff – new post up.

I agree that it’s hard to believe this is the same team that was dealing with A-Rod’s hip surgery. Although he doesn’t have MVP numbers, his presence back with the team really did change the dynamic. I love that pic of Mo with the champagne. We don’t often see him cut loose like that!

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